Union Co. school leaders holding special meeting after lawsuit over start date

UNION COUNTY, N.C. (WBTV) – The Union County Public Schools board of education is having a special meeting Tuesday night about the upcoming school calendar.

The meeting comes after a lawsuit regarding the 2023-2024 school year’s start date. It defies North Carolina law, which requires most schools to start in late August.

The board approved the measure because the new schedules better align with college schedules. It also allows students to take exams before the winter break.

Related: Union Co. Public Schools academic calendar approved, despite discrepancies with state law

Some families filed a lawsuit hoping to stop the calendar from going into effect. One of them is Dominique Morrison, who owns the Honeysuckle Riding Academy in Monroe.

A lot of Morrison’s students are from Union County. A shortened summer vacation this year means she could lose out on 75 campers, which translates into around $30,000.

So far Union County school board members haven’t commented on the lawsuit.

WBTV reached out to a member who said they’ve been advised not to comment until after Tuesday’s special meeting, which is happening at 6 p.m.

Copyright 2023 WBTV. All rights reserved.